Christos P. Loizou is an Adjunct Professor of medical imaging and video processing at the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.Constantinos S. Pattichis is a Professor with the Department of Computer Science of the University of Cyprus. He serves as Associate Editor of the IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, and is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, and as member of the IEEE EMBS Technical Committee on Information Technology for Health. He is a Fellow of IEEE, IET and IAMBE.Jan D'hooge is a Professor in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences of the Medical Faculty of the University of Leuven, Belgium. He is member of IEEE and Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferro-Electrics and Frequency Control.

• Part I: Introduction to speckle noise in ultrasound imaging and videoChapter 1: A brief review of ultrasound imaging and videoChapter 2: Speckle physicsChapter 3: Statistical models for speckle noise and Bayesian deconvolution of ultrasound imagesChapter 4: Summary Part II: Speckle filteringChapter 5: Introduction to speckle filteringChapter 6: An overview of despeckle-filtering techniquesChapter 7: Linear despeckle filteringChapter 8: Nonlinear despeckle filteringChapter 9: Wavelet despeckle filteringChapter 10: A comparative evaluation on linear and nonlinear despeckle filtering techniquesChapter 11: Summary and future directions Part III: Speckle trackingChapter 12: Introduction to speckle tracking in ultrasound videoChapter 13: Principles of speckle trackingChapter 14: Techniques for speckle tracking: block matchingChapter 15: Techniques for tracking: image registrationChapter 16: Cardiac strain estimationChapter 17: Combined techniques of filtering and speckle trackingChapter 18: Summary and future directions Part IV: Selected applicationsChapter 19: Segmentation of the carotid artery IMT in ultrasoundChapter 20: Ultrasound carotid plaque video segmentationChapter 21: Ultrasound asymptomatic carotid plaque image analysis for the prediction of the risk of strokeChapter 22: 3D segmentation and texture analysis of the carotid arteriesChapter 23: Carotid artery mechanics assessed by ultrasoundChapter 24: Carotid artery wall motion and strain analysis using trackingChapter 25: IVUS tracking: advantages and disadvantages of intravascular ultrasound in the detection of artery geometrical features and plaque type morphologyChapter 26: Introduction to speckle tracking in cardiac ultrasound imagingChapter 27: Assessment of systolic and diastolic heart failureChapter 28: Myocardial elastography and electromechanical wave imagingChapter 29: Summary and future directions

Christos P. Loizou is an Adjunct Professor of medical imaging and video processing at the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.Constantinos S. Pattichis is a Professor with the Department of Computer Science of the University of Cyprus. He serves as Associate Editor of the IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, and is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, and as member of the IEEE EMBS Technical Committee on Information Technology for Health. He is a Fellow of IEEE, IET and IAMBE.Jan D'hooge is a Professor in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences of the Medical Faculty of the University of Leuven, Belgium. He is member of IEEE and Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferro-Electrics and Frequency Control.

• Part I: Introduction to speckle noise in ultrasound imaging and videoChapter 1: A brief review of ultrasound imaging and videoChapter 2: Speckle physicsChapter 3: Statistical models for speckle noise and Bayesian deconvolution of ultrasound imagesChapter 4: Summary Part II: Speckle filteringChapter 5: Introduction to speckle filteringChapter 6: An overview of despeckle-filtering techniquesChapter 7: Linear despeckle filteringChapter 8: Nonlinear despeckle filteringChapter 9: Wavelet despeckle filteringChapter 10: A comparative evaluation on linear and nonlinear despeckle filtering techniquesChapter 11: Summary and future directions Part III: Speckle trackingChapter 12: Introduction to speckle tracking in ultrasound videoChapter 13: Principles of speckle trackingChapter 14: Techniques for speckle tracking: block matchingChapter 15: Techniques for tracking: image registrationChapter 16: Cardiac strain estimationChapter 17: Combined techniques of filtering and speckle trackingChapter 18: Summary and future directions Part IV: Selected applicationsChapter 19: Segmentation of the carotid artery IMT in ultrasoundChapter 20: Ultrasound carotid plaque video segmentationChapter 21: Ultrasound asymptomatic carotid plaque image analysis for the prediction of the risk of strokeChapter 22: 3D segmentation and texture analysis of the carotid arteriesChapter 23: Carotid artery mechanics assessed by ultrasoundChapter 24: Carotid artery wall motion and strain analysis using trackingChapter 25: IVUS tracking: advantages and disadvantages of intravascular ultrasound in the detection of artery geometrical features and plaque type morphologyChapter 26: Introduction to speckle tracking in cardiac ultrasound imagingChapter 27: Assessment of systolic and diastolic heart failureChapter 28: Myocardial elastography and electromechanical wave imagingChapter 29: Summary and future directions

Christos P. Loizou is an Adjunct Professor of medical imaging and video processing at the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.Constantinos S. Pattichis is a Professor with the Department of Computer Science of the University of Cyprus. He serves as Associate Editor of the IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, and is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, and as member of the IEEE EMBS Technical Committee on Information Technology for Health. He is a Fellow of IEEE, IET and IAMBE.Jan D'hooge is a Professor in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences of the Medical Faculty of the University of Leuven, Belgium. He is member of IEEE and Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferro-Electrics and Frequency Control.

• Part I: Introduction to speckle noise in ultrasound imaging and videoChapter 1: A brief review of ultrasound imaging and videoChapter 2: Speckle physicsChapter 3: Statistical models for speckle noise and Bayesian deconvolution of ultrasound imagesChapter 4: Summary Part II: Speckle filteringChapter 5: Introduction to speckle filteringChapter 6: An overview of despeckle-filtering techniquesChapter 7: Linear despeckle filteringChapter 8: Nonlinear despeckle filteringChapter 9: Wavelet despeckle filteringChapter 10: A comparative evaluation on linear and nonlinear despeckle filtering techniquesChapter 11: Summary and future directions Part III: Speckle trackingChapter 12: Introduction to speckle tracking in ultrasound videoChapter 13: Principles of speckle trackingChapter 14: Techniques for speckle tracking: block matchingChapter 15: Techniques for tracking: image registrationChapter 16: Cardiac strain estimationChapter 17: Combined techniques of filtering and speckle trackingChapter 18: Summary and future directions Part IV: Selected applicationsChapter 19: Segmentation of the carotid artery IMT in ultrasoundChapter 20: Ultrasound carotid plaque video segmentationChapter 21: Ultrasound asymptomatic carotid plaque image analysis for the prediction of the risk of strokeChapter 22: 3D segmentation and texture analysis of the carotid arteriesChapter 23: Carotid artery mechanics assessed by ultrasoundChapter 24: Carotid artery wall motion and strain analysis using trackingChapter 25: IVUS tracking: advantages and disadvantages of intravascular ultrasound in the detection of artery geometrical features and plaque type morphologyChapter 26: Introduction to speckle tracking in cardiac ultrasound imagingChapter 27: Assessment of systolic and diastolic heart failureChapter 28: Myocardial elastography and electromechanical wave imagingChapter 29: Summary and future directions